Weekly Messages 2010

2010 Weekly Bulletin Message
*2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Weekly Bulletin Messages have been archived. Please contact Der Aram at aram2@charter.net for more information.

For 2009 Weekly Bulletin Messages, please click HERE

Click on a date below to go directly to that message, or scroll entire document for all 2009 weekly messages.

1/10/10	1/17/10	1/24/10	1/31/10
2/7/10	2/14/10	2/21/10	2/28/10
3/7/10	3/14/10 - 12/26/10

1/10/2010 WE HAVE TO MAKE INNER RESOLUTIONS

Today we have already entered a brand new year, with full of hope, anticipations and promises. Speaking of promises, today some of us will make New Year resolutions. When we vow never to do this or that again. Today when we make resolutions we will try to make them easy enough to pull off at least for a while.

I think most of us make resolutions to improve the outer part of ourselves, that is to lose weight, to stop smoking (in order not to get sick or to make others sick) never to eat another ounce of fat food, going to exercise every day and twice on Sunday.

Some of us, who are in the business world vow to get richer.

As you can see, most of the above are resolutions that will make us look better, prestigious and financially prosperous.

There is another side of the life besides improving our outer world. That is to make resolution to be a better person, with better behavior, something that is not tangible yet visible to others. CHANGE OF INNER LIFE.

Paul writing to the Christians in Colosse he said. “CLOTH YOURSELF WITH COMPASSION, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, GENTLENESS AND PATIENCE.”

You notice all the above qualities have to do with others rather than yourself.

COMPASSION: The word compassion means feeling someone else’s pain, experiencing their pain as they are experiencing it personally. In one word, entering into another person’s pain and sharing it with them.

Are you going to make a resolution to be more compassionate toward others?

KINDNESS: God wants us to put on kindness. We teach our children to be kind and polite in their conversation, yet we often neglect this important virtue. What does it mean to be kind? It means merely to treat others without harshness, rather than them with respect and honor, even though he/she disagrees with us. Paul tells us in humility to consider others better than ourselves. Look at others and try to see them the way God sees them, not judgmental but with love.

GENTLENESS: Some people think to be gentle is a sign of weakness. Definitely not. In gentleness there are affection, tenderness, kindness and compassion. Jesus was gentle, and He was anything but weak. He said, “TAKE MY YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE AND HUMBLE IN HEART.” (Matt. 11:28)

So what kind of resolutions are you about to make? I don’t think God cares about our outer appearance as much as He is interested in our inner attitudes.

1/17/2010 THE BIBLE Part I

“Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action), II Timothy 3:16)

Starting today we are going to study the oldest, the most read, the most translated, the most published, the most interesting, the most fascinating yet the most controversial BOOK, THE BIBLE.

Many of us, one way or another own a Bible. Some of us don’t know where it is, some of us have kept it a safe place, (to make sure it doesn’t get lost) others have the custom to put it under their pillows, sorry to say that some of us have it on the shelf covered with dust.

2 billion people, 1/3 of this world, claim to believe in the God of this Book and believe that this is the Book that God wrote. The following weeks we are going to study;

What is it about this Book that fascinates so many people yet so many of us neglect to read it?

Who wrote the Bible?

How accurate and authentic is the Bible?

Why our forefathers gave so much attention to have it translated into Armenian?

How many Bible verses are used in our Church Liturgy?

Why our forefathers taught the Bible to the nation?

Why should we believe and trust what’s written in the Bible?

What is the benefit in reading the Bible?

We are going to study these and other questions, and I am going to give you a chance to ask written questions and place it in the HUMANITERIAN BOX outside. You don’t have to give your name.

My prayer is that after this series you will have a better understanding of this most precious Book and will give time to read it.

1/24/10 WHY TRAGEDIES AND TRIBULATIONS?

Last Tuesday just before sunset a powerful 7 magnitude earthquake rocked the island country of Haiti. I am well aware that questions so hard to answer in tragic times.

When tragedy happens we ask the questions, “Why did it happen? Why did not God prevent this from happening?” Even Jesus’ time people and His apostles asked questions like this. (Please read Luke 13:1-5 & John 9:1-5)

When Adam and Eve, by disobeying God’s commandment sinned against Him, that brought curse and disruption, caused them to be banished and expelled from the presence of God and from the Garden of Eden. Because God said it: “in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.” (Gen.1: 17)

In what sense did man “die” by eating the forbidden fruit? Death meant more than the physical cessation of life. God’s view of death is not “the end” of life on earth alone. Adam’s and Eve’s death was a separation and alienation from God, their Creator.

Although “death” from our perspective, faces us with the end of our existence, from the theological perspective of our text, death speaks of change: from the blessing, freedom, vitality and fellowship with God, to curse, bondage to sin, toil, hardship, sickness and, of course, wars and tragedies.

But in spite of Adam’s, as well as our disobedience, God did not abandon us, though He had all the rights to do so. He continued loving us. He sent His only Son Jesus, in order to bring us back to Him. We can look to Christ as the One who took our human nature “that through His death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all of us who, through fear of death are subject to life long bondage.” (Heb.14: 15) St. Paul says, “IT IS IN CHRIST’ DEATH THAT DEATH ITSELF IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.” (I Cor. 15:54)

St. Paul writes:” HERE IS A TRUSTWORTHY SAYING THAT DESERVES FULL ACCEPTANCE: CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS-OF WHOM I AM THE WORST.” (I Tim. 1:15)

If St. Paul and our St. Nerses the Graceful (Shunorhalee) claimed themselves “To be great sinners how much more we must accept the fact that “WE ALL ARE SINNERS AND HAVE COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.” (Rom.3: 23)

So the cause of hardship that we face everyday is the result of the disobedience both of Adam and Eve and as well as ours today

1/31/2010 WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM HAITI?

Last week I talked to you on the compassion of God for Haiti. God did not punish the Haitians for their sins, for we ALL are sinners and we all deserve punishment. God is merciful and companionate. But what can we learn from tragedies in life like the one Haiti experienced a couple weeks ago?

I have always said, problems or pain, though not pleasant to bear, are not always bad. We must understand that pain can be good. An elderly man wakes up in the morning and says to his wife. “Thank God for the pain I feel, that means I am still alive.” I am sure you remember how your muscles feel pain after a work out. Though they hurt you feel good about getting in shape.

God has given us pain as a warning system. I remember when I used to go to the physical therapist, for my back pain the Therapist used to warn me by saying; “If you do something and feel pain on your back stop immediately, consider the pain as a red light.”

Pain is a part of mortality. The fact is that none of us will live forever. And tragedies should remind us of this truth. Most of us live as though pain and suffering were unusual. Tragedy, pain and unpleasant situations are part of mortality package. When good things happen to us we should ask, “Why me?” Human beings are special creations of God, and we should work to alleviate suffering worldwide.

We must remember that pain and affliction can teach us valuable lessons. In other words, God may be allowing you and me to experience suffering in order to tell us something about Him or about ourselves, to cause us to change our way of life. In Romans 8:28 God has promised that, ”IN ALL THINGS (GOD) WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.”

Jesus told His disciples that their lives would be filed with trials and tribulations, and soon after He had told them this He Himself experienced the painful crucifixion.

In conclusion, tragedies, pain, sufferings should remind us that life is fragile and we must handle t with prayer.

I suggest you to take time and read the Book of Job to understand what pain and affliction really is, and what Job learned through affliction, maybe, just maybe the perspective of your life will be clearer and different.

2/7/2010 "IF ANYONE IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK.”

Jesus is calling the person who is thirsty. In other words if you don’t feel thirsty this invitation is not for you.

What did Jesus mean by saying “Thirsty?”

Each one of us literally dying of spiritual thirst. There is something drastically wrong if we don’t feel the spiritual thirst within ourselves, Because we are not born with the Spirit of God in us. You and I are spiritually parched and dehydrated without Christ; we’re dying of thirst.

Everyone of us are trying to quench this deep thirst within us. Everybody. The famous poet, Lord Byron, in a diary found beside his dead body, described his attempt to quench his own thirst: he said, "I drank every cup of joy, I drank early, drank deeply, drank from every fountain known to man, and now I die of thirst because there is nothing more to drink." King Solomon tried to quench his thirst by trying everything under the sun, and at the end he said, “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Ecc. 2:11)

Unfortunately some turn to alcohol and drugs, some turn to pornography and sex, some turn to gambling and betting, some turn to habits and hobbies, some simply cram their schedule full, and put their kids in every teaching and sporting and arts event known to man, because they are doing all they can to quench this insatiable thirst. Kids become addicted to sports and to video games, and to TV, because they are literally dying of thirst because they do not have the Spirit of God.

So the obvious question then, is how do we get the Spirit of God? Look at our text. In verse 37 Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to me and drink.” We get the spirit by going to Jesus. And secondly, verse 39 says, “by this He meant the spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” Come to Jesus, and quench your spiritual thirst today.

2/14/2010 ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH GOD?

It sounds strange doesn’t it? “IN LOVE WITH GOD?”

But doesn’t life revolve around love? Young people are attracted with each other by love. The bond between husband and wife is LOVE. And the same between parents and children. Parents do their outmost for their children because they love them.

Why do you think we have “ VALENTINES DAY?” to remind each one of us the importance to love and to feel loved.

I could to find more appropriate words to print then the words of Pal the Apostle.

Paul in the Letter to the Corinthian church describes; A. – The characteristics of LOVE. B. – The importance of LOVE. C. – And the Divine power of LOVE.

With the exception of the word “life”, LOVE is the most important abstract term in the Bible. We understand from the Scripture that “GOD IS LOVE. The basis of God’s dealing with humans in the Old Testament and the climaxes in the New Testament is in the incarnation of Christ.

The best expression of Divine LOVE we find in the book of Romans, where Paul writes, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:8) 

Can you phantom? Or comprehend? How a Holy and a Righteous God can love a person who has turned his/her back to Him? Who constantly disobeys?

BECAUSE LOVE IS THE CHARACTER OF GOD.

Well, LOVE cannot be one sided. If God loves us so much what is our attitude toward that love?

Are we indifferent? Or we are responsive.

We can’t say we love God yet be indifferent toward His Word, the Bible. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)

You may be working so hard for the church and for God, but if GOD’S LOVE does not motivate you in doing everything, the Bible says it means nothing.

“IF I GIVE ALL I POSSESS TO THE POOR AND SURRENDER MY BODY TO THE FLAMES, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING.” (ICor.13: 3)

One of the ways to find out if we have the LOVE God is, Without God’s love we are proud, rude, self-seekers and easily angered people. (Please, read I Cor.13: 4-7) But if we have God’s love we consider others better than ourselves. we are not born with the Spirit of God in us. You and I are spiritually parched and dehydrated without Christ; we’re dying of thirst.

Every one of us is trying to quench this deep thirst within us. Everybody. The famous poet, Lord Byron, in a diary found beside his dead body, described his attempt to quench his own thirst: he said, "I drank every cup of joy, I drank early, drank deeply, drank from every fountain known to man, and now I die of thirst because there is nothing more to drink." King Solomon tried to quench his thirst by trying everything under the sun, and at the end he said, “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Ecc. 2:11)

2/21/2010 EXPULSION -THE HARDEST DECISION GOD MADE

The Lent service is one of the most meaningful and important services of the church. Yet unfortunately not too many so-called Christians attend the Lenten services.

In our church, unlike the other churches, in order to make the Service understandable and meaningful I intentionally conduct the Lenten Service in both Armenian and in English (mostly in English). Also in our Lenten services the congregation participates in the service, and at the end a short message is delivered. God willing, this year, we will have five different speakers. See the list please.

Lent is a time when we go back and study the source of sin, the punishment and the consequences of it and the remedy of the sin.

Lent is also a time, as the Psalmist says, to re-examine our hearts and to let God search our souls. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” (Psalm 139:23) Let’s be frank who wants to be searched and be unveiled from unpleasant thoughts and deeds? Maybe that’s why so many people stay away from being searched. The beautiful hymns and prayers of our forefathers that make you realize how “Great sinners we are” also tell us about the infallible love and the grace of God that we don’t deserve. But God lavishly has poured that love and grace upon us through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was not easy for God to expel Adam and Eve who were created by His own image from Garden of Eden. We were created to live with God forever.

During Lent we also learn how gracious God is, that by His Fatherly love He prepared a way to have us back.

During Lent we learn of the God –man relationship history. After all some day we all are going to appear in front of the Creator and be accountable to Him for the way we live our lives.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (II Cor.5: 10)

LENT PREPAIRES US TO APPEAR AT THE JUDGEMNT SEAT OF CHRIST TO RECEIVE OUR REWARD; WHETHER GOOD OR BAD.

2/28/2010 FATHER WHO NEVER STOPS LOVING

In this chapter, Luke tells three parables that Jesus said, describing man’s misery in being lost.

The lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son.

In the first two parables we see the efforts of the shepherd and the woman. They try hard, specially the shepherd to find the lost sheep. I bet he puts his life in danger in order to find the lost sheep. The shepherd symbolizes Jesus, THE GREAT SHEPHERD.

I am not going to talk about the first two parables; rather I will talk about the loving father. Although this Sunday is called “THE SUNDAY OF THE PRODIGAL SON” but we, together will focus our eyes on the hero of the Parable, the father. For the Parable emphasizes about an unconditional love of a father.

When Jesus told this Parable, He wanted the listener to know about the love and the forgiveness of God. The father must have been waiting and watching for the son to come home, for he saw him a long way off.

I believe the father had already forgiven to his rebellious son even before the son decided to come home.

It is said, that once Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat the rebellious southerners when they had finally been defeated and had returned to the Union of the United States. The questioner expected that Lincoln would take vengeance, but he answered, “ I will treat them as if they had never been away.”

It is the wonder of the love of God that He treats us like that.

These parables tell us the way and the condition to be saved. Salvation from our sins is the fundamental theme of Luke’s Gospel.

Jesus, by telling the Parable of the loving father, introduces our heavenly Father to us. Our heavenly Father loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus Christ, He allowed Him to be nailed on the cross in order for us to inherit the Eternal life. The Parable describes the joyful welcome at the sinner’s home coming. The son, like Adam had Eve willingly “short -circuited” God’s plans and they cut themselves off from their father’s presence.

In the mind and the teaching of Jesus, then, man without God is lost and is separated from His presence. Jesus said: “THE SON OF MAN CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE WHAT WAS LOST.” (Luke 19:10)

When we ask why the Savior’s coming? Why He was suffered and crucified? The answer to these questions is given by Jesus himself THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES, TRUSTS AND ADHERES TO HIM MAY NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” (John 3:16)

3/7/10 LEARN A LESSON FROM A SHREWD MANAGER

Jesus spoke to many groups of people, educated and non-educated, people who had high office, also to ordinary people. Religious and nonreligious people, children and adults alike. He touched the lives of every category of human beings and He often used Parables to make sure His message was well understood.

Last Sunday I spoke to you on the Parable of the “two prodigals.” (Luke Chapter 15)

The Parable of the “SHREWD STEWARD” was addressed to His followers as well as to the rich Pharisees who loved wealth heard all this and were “Sneering at Jesus.” (V.14)

In this Parable Jesus is never suggesting to be dishonest and shrewd, rather He is suggesting to His followers to learn from the worldly astuteness, and to teach a lesson of spiritual prudence. All Jesus did, was to take this man’s foresight and promptitude wicked as they were in their application-as an illustration of qualities which have a necessary place in the life of a true believer.

The lesson at this point, then, is clear. The possession of wealth, influence, position, and leisure, of opportunity are so to be used here on earth but never in the eternal state.

God’s faithful and bountiful stewards will never lose their reward.

God has given us gifts and talents and we are responsible to our divine Lord for whatever gifts, possession and position given to us, whether temporal or spiritual, God has committed to our stewardship and we are accountable for each and every gift.

The Apostle James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father...” (1:17) Therefore, “every good gift” that God the Father has granted us has to be put under His disposal and has to be used for Him.

Remember, the theme and the purpose of this Parable, it was about a Manager “WHO WAS ACCUSED OF WASTING HIS POSSESSIONS.” V.1)

Are you “wasting” God’s given possessions? Or, are you using them for your selfish reasons.

As this Steward’s boss after hearing that his manager was wasting his possession, he said, “Give an account of your management…” Like wise one day God will tell us, “Give an account of what I have given to you.”

3/14/10 “USE YOUR FORCE, LUKE”

Do you remember this statement?

How often we haven’t used the force God has promised to give us through prayer.

To make His point clear to His audience, Jesus often spoke in parables or told stories. In today’s passage Matthew writes; JESUS SPOKE ALL THESE THINGS IN PARABLES; HE DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THEM WITHOUT USING A PARABLE, SO WAS FULFILLED WHAT WAS SPOKEN THROUGH THE PROPHET, ‘ I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES, I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD.’”

The Judge in this Parable was one of the paid magistrates appointed either by Herod or by the Romans. Such judges were notorious. Unless a plaintiff had influence and money to bribe his/her way to a verdict he/she had no hope of ever getting his/her case settled.

It was obvious that this widow without obvious resources of any kind had any chance of ever extracting justice from such a judge. But she had one “weapon,” which was persistence and perseverance. By her persistence she made the judge, who was “unjust” and had no fear of God, wearied and concerned so much that he said; “EVEN THOUGH I DON’T FEAR GOD OR CARE ABOUT MEN (THAT IS THE HUMAN BEING) YET BECAUSE THIS WIDOW KEEPS BOTHERING ME, I WILL SEE THAT SHE GETS JUSTICE, SO THAT SHE WON’T EVENTUALLY WEAR ME OUT WITH HER COMING.” (V.5)

The lesson of this Parable is very simple and clear.

What Jesus was saying is this.” If in the end, an unjust and Godless judge can be wearied into giving a widow justice, how much more God, who is your heavenly Father, who loves you and cares for you, will give you what you need..."according to His will.”

When you feel depressed, He will uplift your spirit, He will strengthen you when you feel weak, will encourage you when you are discouraged.

Now, it does not mean that we should expect to get anything and everything we ask. Often, as you know, father has to refuse the request of a child because “Father knows best” what is good for His child. Only God knows what is good for us in the long run. That is what Jesus is saying, no matter what the circumstances are, never lose hope, never stop praying and never give up! But always end your prayer, “THY WILL BE DONE. AMEN!”

3/21 NOT EVERY PRAYER IS HEARD BY GOD

Last Sunday I talked about the privilege that God has given us to approach Him and submit our requests to Him. The Widow who was persistent in her request.

Today Jesus tells us that some of our prayers not only are not heard by God but also are hated by God.

Jesus by telling the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector who went up to the temple to pray, He is telling us the way we should to go to God and present our requests to Him.

I suggest you read the printed Scripture in the Bulletin first.

The Pharisee in this Parable did not really go to pray to God. He went to pray and praise himself. When we go to God to pray, we must always go to God forgetting our good deeds and ourselves. The Pharisee was really giving himself a testimonial before God. He was telling God how great he was, not how gracious, merciful and great God was.

Yes, he was not a thief, or evildoer, or an adulterer. He was fasting twice a week and gave the 10% present what he earned. We would say “great!” Then what’s wrong with this Pharisee?

As I said, this Pharisee was bragging and wanted to be counted righteous because of what he was and was giving to God and to His Temple. He never admitted that a person is not justified by his/her works but by the grace of God,” And that comes because Jesus was crucified on the cross.

Paul says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)

As the Parable indicates, in the same temple there was also a tax-collector, “he stood at a distance. He would not even look up in to heaven.” He felt so humbles he would not even lift his eyes to God “but beating his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The tax collector was uttering almost the same prayer as we pray do during Lent, “Have mercy upon your creatures, and upon me, great sinner that I am.”

No one who approaches the throne of God with pride will be heard. No one who despises his/her fellow-men can be heard. In prayer we do not lift ourselves above our fellowman, we remind ourselves that we are all sinners. Paul says, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. (I Tim.1: 15) If St. Paul is calling himself a “worst sinner,” how much more we should.

Lent is a time to remind ourselves that we “All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) Either by our deeds or attitudes or behavior. And that’s why Jesus came to save us from our sins.

3/28/10 THE FINAL HURRAH

“PALM SUNDAY” is also called “THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS IN TO JERUSALEM.”

When we say “PALM SUNDAY” of course refers to the event itself. When Jesus entering Jerusalem, the scripture says that ”THE CROWD TOOK PALM BRANCHES AND WENT OUT TO MEET HIM.” It is also said that they had olive tree branches.

Palm branches symbolize victory. Palm trees being tall are a symbol of victory. As for the olive tree branches: Do you remember Noah, when he sent a dove to check the condition of the earth? The scripture says, “WHEN THE DOVE RETURNED TO HIM...THERE IN ITS PEAK WAS A FRESHLY PLUCKED OLIVE LEAF.” Gen. 8:11. The olive branch, or leaf symbolizes peace.

The entry of Jesus was not that easy. We must remember that Jesus was an outlaw for some people; therefore the authorities were determined to kill Him. Even His disciples warned Him to turn back. If He were to enter Jerusalem at all, all caution would have demanded that He enter secretly, but he came such a way as to focus every eye upon Himself. It needed courage, compassion and love to do that.

As we can see, Jesus did not enter Jerusalem not an warrior-king on horse and chariot, but as the prophet had foretold, “Meek, and sitting on a donkey.” Matthew tells us that the entire city was moved at the sight of the strange procession. People had mixed feelings, some out of curiosity wanted to know who Jesus was. And some came to see Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Interestingly enough, two people who were neglected and even “Rebuked” who did not have physical sights, because they were blind, they wanted to take advantage of this visit. When they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David have mercy on us.” Oh the compassionate Jesus, He stopped and called them, asking: “What do you want me to do for you.” “Lord, we want our sight.”

Physically blind people acknowledged the Lordship and the deity of Christ. They knew that Jesus was able to give their sight back, yet people who were not physically blind did not “see” who Jesus was.

Isn’t that tragedy. Year after year, we celebrate Palm Sunday, Easter, and Christmas; do we really know who Jesus is? Have we, by faith, asked Him to open our spiritual eyes, have we welcomed Him in our hearts? Or, we are still in limbo, living in darkness?

That’s what the majority of people did when they “welcomed” Jesus, they were spiritually in darkness, because the next day the same people shouted: “Crucify Him, crucify Him”

4/4/10 HE IS RISEN INDEED!

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week…

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it…He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.”

It is true that Jesus, before He was raised from the dead, said that “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” (Luke 9:22) Not only did Jesus predict His resurrection, but also hundreds of times in the Old Testament it was prophesied that Jesus would come down from heaven, suffer, die on the cross and would rise from the dead. You will be amazed to know that in the Old Testament, the entire life of Christ was prophesied in detail.

For centuries the issue of the Resurrection has been a problem for many people. Many Christians have been tortured because they believed and preached the reality of the Resurrection.

Human beings want to understand the Resurrection of Christ scientifically. Unfortunately we will never be able to “test” the Resurrection in the lab, but God has given us the privilege to experience the power of Jesus’ Resurrection once we commit ourselves to the resurrected Christ. That’s what millions have done.

The Resurrection of Christ gives us hope when we are in despair; help when we feel helpless. The Resurrection of Christ fills our hearts and minds with joy, peace and tranquility when we are in mourning. That is why Paul writes, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (I Thess. 4:14)

Does the Resurrected Lord have a part in your daily life?

4/11/10 GOD BECAME THE WORD

Today’s Scripture reading is from the Gospel of John chapter one.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

From these verses we understand that God has come out in flesh. He became just like us. Every Sunday we confess by reciting the Nicene Creed. “For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man.”

This text, about the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us with grace and truth, is often hard to understand, and seems to have little meaning to our ears. It contains a basic truth but it is one that we seem to stumble over. It contains not only a basic truth, but also a mystery. It is difficult for us to accept the fact that God is so down-to-earth, that God should come to us on such human and ordinary terms. We are astonished at God's availability.

What is so great about Jesus becoming man like us? A lot!

He took human character in order to understand our pain and affliction, He became more sensitive to our needs, because, as the Scripture says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” (Heb.4: 15) That's what is so great about Jesus! He can heal our broken lives. He can bring harmony out of disharmony. He can repair the damaged human instrument.

By means of the incarnation, God becoming flesh, God has come into the midst of life. Jesus knew life as we know it. He was raised in a family. Therefore Jesus knows family problems and able to solve them. He knew what it was for one's friends to turn against him, to be falsely accused and to suffer rejection and finally a cruel death. Therefore, in the midst of our anguish, pain, and disappointment, we can cry out and say, "Lord, you know how it is!" God does. For God had a Son who lived among us full of grace and truth.

Aren’t we fortunate having a God who became man in order not only to save us from our sins but also to walk with us in every circumstance.

4/17/10 HAVE YOU TOUCHED JESUS?

I remember, one day after church, during the fellowship hour, I approach to one of the visitors, and welcomed him. After a short conversation the visitor said, “ Der Hayr, do you know what made me come to church today?” Before I replied, he continued. “During your church picnic I noticed you were very busy but when you were passing by me you touched my shoulder.”

I confess, often when I pass by a person if I can’t stop and greet him/her I have a habit (good or bad) to touch the person.

When Jesus was preaching to thousands some of the audience wanted to come closer to Him, and some wanted to touch Him.

In today’s passage we read that people were crowding Him, “So that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.” (Verse 10)

There is power in a touch.

I remember an incident in the gospel, a woman, who was suffering from constant hemorrhage “When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed."

(Mark 5:27)

Today in order to enjoy the healing power of Jesus He doesn’t have to be physically present. We are in so many ways privileged to touch Him and enjoy His healing power.

Jesus can be touched through reading His word, the Bible. We can have relationship with God through His Word. There is power in the Word of God.

Another way we can experience the touch of God is, by coming to church. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matt.18: 20)

The early church, and our forefathers knew the importance of attending church and worshiping God together with other believers.

Allow me to ask you an honest question.

Do you have the desire and the urge to touch God? Have you been trying to come closer to your heavenly Father through Jesus Christ? Then open your Bible and give time in reading His Word and experience the touch of God.

Second, make a habit to regularly come to church with an open heart. Don’t fool yourself by saying “But Der Hayr, I can stay home and pray.” If physically it is not possible that is understandable, but the Bible urges us to come together and unite in worshiping God our Creator. The apostle says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25)

The Scripture says, those who touched Jesus found healing.

Do you want to be healed spiritually, physically and emotionally? Go ahead and touch Him by means of reading His life giving Word and by regularly attending church.

5/2/10 IS THERE SUCH A THING AS SIN AND SINNER?

Unfortunately we don’t want to talk or listen about sin.

The main topic of the entire Bible is about sin and how to get rid of sin.

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. (1 John 1:8-10)

In this passage John describes and condemns two mistakes we make.

A. – Some of us who say that we have no sin. That may mean either of two things.

a. –It may describe the man who says that he/she as no responsibility for his/her sin. It is easy to find defenses behind which to seek to hide. We may blame our sins on our heredity, on our environment, on our temperament, on or physical condition. We may claim that someone misled us and that we were led astray.

It is John’s insistence that, when a person has sinned, excuses and self-justifications are irrelevant. The only thing will solve the problem is to humble yourself and confess to God, and if need be, to each other.

B. - There are those of us who say that we have not in fact sinned. This attitude is not so uncommon as we might think. We forget that sin literally means a missing of the target. To fail to be as good a father, mother, wife, husband, son, daughter, worker, person as we might be is to sin; that includes us all.

In any event the person who says he/she has not sinned in effect doing nothing less than calling God a liar. For God has said that all of us have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)

So John condemns the person who claims that he/she is so far advanced in knowledge and in the spiritual life that sin for him/her has ceased to matter.

The essence of the Christian life is first to realize and accept our sins and sinful nature; and then to go to God to receive forgiveness, which can wipe out the past, the present and the future.

John concludes by saying, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

5/16/10 OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES

I don’t think anyone of us is excluded from obstacles coming our way. Of course obstacles vary. There are some easy to overcome but many are hard to overcome and they will stay with us for a while. Unfortunately they discourage us and tempt us to “give up” in achieving our goal or destination.

Although I personally have used the word many times and face obstacles daily, as I was working on my sermon I wanted to know how the dictionary described the word “Obstacle.” Roget’s dictionary gives the following explanation.

Block, blockade, curtain, drawback, stumbling block stones in one’s path, difficulty… Etc. etc.

In one word, obstacles are blockades in our daily life, which prevent us from going foreword, and consume our energy needed to overcome and go through.

That’s what our lesson is about today. The obstacle a blind man named Bartimaeus faced. When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he began to shout for help. He was seeking mercy, compassion and healing.

“Jesus Son of David have mercy on me.” He was shouting.

The Scripture says, “Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet.” The crowd became an obstacle, stumbling block to Bartimaeus. They were stopping him from receiving mercy and healing.

A CROWD AGAINST ONE PERSON.

In our lives we face many types of obstacles. Financial difficulties, health issues, and so on, but people can block our way instead of helping us to achieve our goal. I don’t want to go into the reason in doing so for now. How do we handle it? Do we retreat and stop trying? Do we get frustrated and aggravated? I am sure all of the above and more. But Bartimaeus did none of the above.

“BUT HE SHOUTED ALL THE MORE, “ SON OF DAVID HAVE MERCY ON ME.”

There was the sheer persistence of Bartimaeus. Nothing would stop his clamor to come face to face with Jesus. He was utterly determined to meet the ONE PRSON whom he longed to confront with his trouble. In Bartimaeus mind there was not just a nebulous, wishful, sentimental desire to see the Master, but a determined will to see the things done. That was to find mercy and healing.

Let’s not focus our eyes on the daily obstacles, we inevitably will face them, but fix our eyes on Jesus who crushes the stumbling blocks and helps us to go through.

5/9/10 THE GALANGE MOTHERS FACE

I urge you to read the passage written in the Bulletin, it s a good résumé for mothers.

Today is the day when Moms get the special treatment, right? You know, breakfast in bed; homemade Mother’s Day cards from the kids; flowers from your husband; lunch at your favorite restaurant; and absolutely no house cleaning.

Today is your day and you deserve it. I mean, being a Mother is one of the most important, most influential, most difficult and yet is sometimes the most thankless role a person can ever have. So today we say “Thank you Moms” for all you do.

Listen to how God describes what a virtuous woman is like; what a great Mom is like.

“A wife (Mom) of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family. She speaks with wisdom;  and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household   and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”

(Taken from Proverbs 31}

Even if you are not a mother or grandmother today, I am sure you agree with the writer.

Though we can see what it means to be a good Mother, it’s still a challenge. Being a good Mom is hard!

You’ve got to be a housekeeper, a taxi driver, a cook, an appointment manager, a nurse, a judge, a referee, a teacher, a counselor, a beautician, a friend, a disciplinarian, and a loving ear when your kids need to be heard.

Being a Mom is tough. Even though being a Mom can be the greatest and most rewarding privilege there is, it’s still tough. So this morning God wants to give you some encouragement. This morning, God wants to give you a Mother’s Day card just from Him.

5/16/10 OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES

Block, blockade, curtain, drawback, stumbling block stones in one’s path, difficulty… Etc. etc.

In one word, obstacles are blockades in our daily life, which prevent us from going foreword, and consume our energy needed to overcome and go through.

“Jesus Son of David have mercy on me.” He was shouting.

The Scripture says, “Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet.” The crowd became an obstacle, stumbling block to Bartimaeus. They were stopping him from receiving mercy and healing.

A CROWD AGAINST ONE PERSON.

“BUT HE SHOUTED ALL THE MORE, “ SON OF DAVID HAVE MERCY ON MY.”

Let’s not focus our eyes on the daily obstacles, we inevitably will face them, but fix our eyes on Jesus who crushes the stumbling blocks and helps us to go through.

5/23/10 SOMETHING IS MISSING IN US

“WE BELIEVE ALSO IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE UNCREATED AND THE PERFECT; WHO SPOKE THROUGH THE LAW AND THROUGH THE PROPHETS AND THROUGH THE GOSPELS; WHO CAME DOWN UPON THE JORDAN, PREACHED THROUGH THE APOSTLES AND DWELLED IN THE SAINTS.” (The Nicene Creed)

It is a familial quotation, isn’t it? Every Sunday we confess that WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT DWELLS IN THE SAINTS, THAT IS IN THE BELIEVER.

Before His departure, Jesus told His disciples “IT IS FOR YOUR GOOD THAT I AM GOING AWAY. UNLESS I GO AWAY, THE COUNSELOR (THE HOLY SPIRIT) WILL NOT COME TO YOU; BUT IF I GO I WILL SEND HIM TO YOU (John 16:7) And later Jesus told His disciples “NOT TO LEAVE JERUSALEM, BUT WAIT FOR THE GIFT MY FATHER PROMISED.” (Acts 1:4)

What happened at Pentecost?

The disciples were all together, united in prayer when “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting...All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit..” (Acts 2:1,4)

We see the early Church vibrant, effective and in action because they waited and received the Holy Spirit.

If we believe and confess that God so loved us and sent His only Son to be crucified on our behalf, (John 3:16) and that Jesus loved us and “Laid down His life for us,” (I John 3:16) and if we believe in Trinity, as we should, then I ask; what is the function and the duty of the third Person in the Trinity, the Holy Spirit?

HE MUST DWELL IN US!

It will sound strange to some of us. But that is what the Church is teaching and that is what Jesus said In Luke 11:13 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”

If we want to be a God pleasing people and an effective Church, we must ask the third Person of the Godhood, the Holy Spirit, to “Dwell in us” and among us.

5/30/10 WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR AMERICA? (On Memorial Day)

God founded America.

We sing, “My County Tis of Thee”.

I believe that God had a special plan for America when He moved a handful of people to come to this shore.

Our Founding Fathers consistently spoke of the need for utilizing the Bible and Judeo-Christian values in defining and preserving this nation:

Twelve of the original 13 colonies incorporated the entire Ten Commandments into their civil and criminal codes.

President John Adams stated, "The law given from Sinai was a civil and municipal code as well as a moral and religious code. These are laws essential to the existence of men in society and most of which have been enacted by every Nation, which ever professed any code of laws. Vain indeed would be the search among the writings of secular history to find so broad, so complete and so solid a basis of morality as the Ten Commandments lay down." (Note that the American Bible Society was started by an act of Congress and John Adams, our second president, served as its first leader.)

Our laws are based on the 10 commandments and the Bible. Supreme Court bldg, built 1935 – carved on front Moses and Ten Commandments. [justices must enter back way!] House of Representatives - across speakers’ seat – sculpture of Moses.

President George Washington said, "It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are indispensable supporters."

In 1782, the U.S. Congress voted in favor of a resolution recommending and approving the Bible for use in the schools.

Henry Laurens, fourth president of the Continental Congress, stated, "I had the honor of being one who framed the Constitution. In order effectually to accomplish these great constitutional ends, it is especially the duty of those who bear rule to promote and encourage respect for God and virtue."

ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY LET’S REMMEBER THE PAST AND RENEW OUR VOWS OF THE FOUNDERS.

6/6/10 JESUS’ CLAIM AND HIS PROMISE.

So many people claim to be somebody. Especially the politicians. Before their election they claim to be the right candidate for the office and they promise almost everything that will please the public and they promise, if they elected they will “Work for us” and “fix” the problems we will face.

In today’s passage we read of people asking Jesus of His identity.

"How long will you keep us in suspense?” they asked, “ If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

Jesus had already told them who He was.

There were two things about Jesus, which placed His, claim beyond all doubt whether He stated it in words or not.

First there were His deeds. He healed the blind and the sick.

He said, “The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me.”

Second, there were His words that are His promises.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” (Verses 27.28)

Jesus promises us eternal life if we accept Him as our Savior, Shepherd, Master and Lord. And willingly follow Him, which means obey His commands we will become members of His flock.

Jesus promises us life that would know no end. Death could not be the end of us but the beginning of a better life.

Jesus also promises us eternal life that is secure. “No one can snatch them out of my hand.” He said. This does not mean that we would be saved from sorrow, suffering and death; but Jesus will never leave us in the sorest moment or darkest hour. He has promised to be our refuge as long as we keep listening to His voice and follow His orders.

6/20/10 WANTED FATHERS

You must have seen signs in front of stores or in the classified section of the newspapers; “HELP WANTED.”

In this day and age, when the world is restless and in turmoil, we desperately are in need of fathers. I don’t mean biological fathers of which we have many, but fathers who can “father” or nurture children and not only “produce” children.

Kenneth Chafin, in his book Help! I’m a Layman, wrote of a time several years ago when he came home from the office just in time for the evening meal. They had hardly begun to eat when his five-year-old daughter asked if he would be home that night. He was embarrassed to answer because he was to speak that night to a group on the topic “What a Good Father Ought to Be.”

To soften the disappointment of his daughter at his leaving, he decided that he would ask her to give him a little help with the talk. He placed a piece of paper and a pencil on the table and asked her to tell him what it meant to be a good daddy. Throughout the meal she would come to his chair and whisper her ideas in his ear. He wrote each of them down. This was the list;

(1) Catch a fish. (2) Build a fire. (3) Fly a kite. (4) Catch a butterfly. (5) Plant a flower. (6) get a kitty cat out of the mud.

Chafin took the list with him to the meeting. As he waited to be introduced, he was looking over the list. Suddenly it hit him: Nothing that his daughter wanted in an ideal father required his buying anything; but everything she mentioned required him. From that he wondered if many of us do not spend most of our lives working to purchase things for our children instead of giving them what they need more than anything else - OURSELVES.

On this Father’s Day let’s consider some of the duties of a daddy. For this reason we are going to listen to Paul, who tells us how to be affective fathers and grandfathers even uncles.

We need fathers and grandfathers to guide, to build characters and inspire our young generation. We need God fearing fathers and grandfathers to lead the young generation in the “PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

WISHING YOU A VERY HEALTHY, HAPPY AND

A BLESSED FATHER’S DAY.

6/27/10 CAN’T YOU LOVE CERTAIN PEOPLE? CHECK OUT WHY

So many people, professionals, educated and clergy people came to Christ for many reasons. Some came to learn, some came to ridicule Him and some came to test and try to trap Him.

In today’s passage we read;

“HEARING THAT JESUS SILENCED THE SADDUCEES, THE PHARISEES GOT TOGETHER. ONE OF THEM, AN EXPERT IN THE LAW, TESTED HIM WITH THIS QUESTION, TEACHER, WHICH IS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IN THE LAW?”

People had many hidden reasons to ask questions to Jesus. It would seem that the Pharisees hoped that Jesus in His reply would say something contrary to the Law, which will render Him liable to a charge of blasphemy. If this was so, then the questioner was destined to be sadly disappointed, for the answer given by our Lord.

It states that God is to be loved unreservedly with every faculty of your being. But the second Commandment, which conveniently was forgotten, which is corollary to the firsts and akin to it, for it too makes love the dominant motive. Which is written in Leviticus 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.”

What Jesus is telling is; that a person cannot love God in any real sense without also loving his neighbor made in God’s image like himself.

The Apostle John clarifies this point. He writes;

“IF ANYONE SAYS, I LOVE GOD, YET HATES HIS BROTHER, (OR SISTER) HE IS A LIAR. FOR ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER, (OR SISTER) WHOM HE HAS SEEN, CANNOT LOVE GOD, WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN.” (1st John 4:20)

If your question is, why then we cannot love some people? The answer is, because we may not have tasted yet the genuine love of God. “God is love,” says the Apostle and in order to love our brothers and sisters as Jesus loved us we have to go to the Source of love to God.

St. Clement in his letter writes; “So then brothers, let us acknowledge Him in our actions by loving one another, by not slandering one another or being jealous, but by being self-controlled, compassionate and kind, And we ought to have sympathy for one another and not be avaricious. By these actions let us acknowledge Him, and not by their opposites.”

7/18/10 “DON’T LOOK DOWN…”

Before Jesus told the Parable of the lost sheep He said to His disciples, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.”

Most commentaries refer “These little ones,” the children His disciples tried to hold back from coming to Jesus. But I also believe that what Jesus was saying is to watch out and not to look down on those who are less fortunate than we are.

During His ministry Jesus uplifted the poor, the neglected, the hurt and the unfortunate.

Last week unfortunately we lost our Raffi Der Torossian. We all knew that Raffi had a very difficult past. By many Raffi was counted as an unfortunate person. I remember, in the beginning Raffi stayed away from people, he hardly showed up in the church, but the last couple of years Raffi not only did attend church but also served the Alter regularly. His appearance gradually was changed, he was better dressed, he had a gentle smile on his face and he was interested in people.

Outside this church Raffi did not have any friends. His friends were the social workers, who highly praised the influence Raffi left behind. I wander how often we (including me) appreciated Raffi and his service to this church? How often did we approach Raffi and considered him as “one of us?” Spent sometime talking with him?

Jesus said, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.” In other words, as God loves us unconditionally and individually, we too must love and respect each other unconditionally. Remember, Christ died for ALL OF US.

All of us are little children of God, and the humility must always be there. Babies don’t enter the world boasting and bragging about their rights and what they’re going to do. They are born dependent upon their parents for everything! We too, like little children, need each other.

In Matthew 25 when Jesus talked about His Second coming He said. “Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Brothers and sister, let us not “look down” on each other rather, as the apostle says, “In humility consider others better than [ourselves.] Each of [us] should look not only to [our] own interests, but also to the interests of others. [Our] attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:” (Phil 2:3-5)

MAY GOD REST THE SOUL OF OUR DEAR RAFFI. AMEN!

7/25/10 THE PROBLEM OF NOT FORGIVING

Forgiveness for human beings has been a big problem and has caused disaster in homes, churches and society at large. Families are destroyed because father and son, sister and brother are unable to forgive each other. We hold grudges against each other thus we destroy each other.

It is ironic that we seek and expect forgiveness for our sins from God yet when it comes to forgive others we stubbornly struggle and resist. Why?

Why can’t we forgive our fellowman who, “Knowingly and unknowingly” have done wrong against us. Even when they confess and ask for forgiveness we have a hard time to forgive?

It can’t be clearer than in the “Lord’s Prayer” where we see the consequences of NOT forgiving each other. “FORGIVE OUR TRESSPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESSPASS AGAINST US.”

God demands us to forgive if we expect forgiveness from Him. In other words, the person who does not forgive his/her fellowman should not hope and expect that God will forgive his/her sins.

The Parable in today’s reading is about a servant who owed 10,000.00 talents, which is the equivalent of millions of dollars. Although his master had pity on him canceled the dept and let him go, the same servant who found mercy from his master, went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him only 100 denary, (just a few dollars) “He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.” Jesus says, "His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But in vain. We see no mercy and no forgiving spirit.

The result?

“Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.” (Matt.18: 32-34)

Let’s grasp the meaning of the Parable.

A. – God will never forgive us unless we forgive each other.

B. – We will never experience the peace of God, unless we learn to forgive

each other.

C. – We will never enjoy the Christian life.

Beloved, we are forgiven our debts which are beyond our ability to pay. For our sins brought about the death of the Son of God, Jesus. If that is so then we MUST exercise forgiveness toward others as God has forgiven us.

8/1/10 THE MEASURLESS LOVE OF GOD

(The Scripture reading of the day. John 3:16)

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT IS YOU AND ME THAT HE GAVE HIS BEST, HIS ONE AND THE ONLY SON JESUS.

More than 50 years I have been preaching, and I don’t know how often I have preached on this “Golden Verse,” “THE LOVE OF GOD.” Yet the more I think about this verse the less I feel about myself. Someone tried to describe the Love Of God this way.

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Great men have had their favorite texts; but this Verse has been called “Everybody’s Text.”

This Verse tells us that ALL salvation lies with God. And nothing with us! Sometimes Christianity is presented in such a way that it sounds as if God had to be bribed or pacified, as if He had to be persuaded to forgive us. Sometime people present the Christian message in such a way that it sounds as if Jesus did something which changed the attitude of God toward men from condemnation to forgiveness. But this text tells us that it was with God that it all started. It was God who sent His Son, and He sent Jesus because HE LOVED US, AND NOTHING ELSE!

No matter what happens in your life, good or bed, at the back of everything stands the love of God.

The Psalmist says, “BECAUSE YOUR LOVING KINDNESS IS BETTER THAN LIFE, MY LIPS SHALL PRAISE YOU.” (Psalm 63:3)

A.- Live honestly. Open up to the Lord about the pain of you losses and admit your failures. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” tells the Scripture. (James 4:8 and I John 1:9)

B. - Ponder and believe the Scriptures about God’s character and His longing for you. “Your loving-kindness is better than life.” Says the Psalmist. Ps. 63:3, 139, and Eph. 1:3-6)

Beloved, being close in relationship with God takes time and effort, but is worth the time and the effort. That’s the only time we can taste the love of God and see how sweet it is. After all, Christ came down to lead us to have intimate relationship with God the Father through Him.

8/8/10 ARE YOU EARNESTELY SEEKING GOD?

In today’s Scripture something unusual took place, and people who saw it were amazed.

In the Gospel of Luke it’s written that “Jesus healed many who had various diseases.” (Lk.1: 24) He drove out an evil spirit, healed Peter’s mother in law and the leper.

In all the healings people came to Jesus willingly. They came with faith, trust and expectation. Just remember, Jesus did not heal every sick person. As a matter of fact in some cases, He could not heal them because of their disbelief.

In chapter two of Mark’s Gospel, we read that as soon as people heard that Jesus was in Capernaum, they rushed to hear Him speak. The room was packed. We read that inside and outside the house was full of people. “SO MANY GATHERED THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM LEFT, NOT EVEN OUTSIDE THE DOOR.”

Years ago, during the Communist regime, when preaching the Gospel was prohibited, I was privileged to preach in large homes when inside and outside and the rooms used to be packed. Many went back because there was no standing room. People were hungry for the Word of God. They came with faith and expectation and God, seeing that hunger, blessed them.

Now a days we have plenty room in the churches and not enough people to fill them. The Scripture says that EVERY ONE WHO COMES TO HIM MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS AND THAT HE REWORDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM.” (Heb. 11:6)

The “EARNESTLY SEEKING” part is missing in our lives today. We come to church but are we “earnestly seeking God? God can only help the “earnestly seekers.”

The four people who brought the Paralytic to Jesus were EARNESTLY seeking and expecting a miracle to happen. That EARNEST desire and spirit made them overcome all the obstacles and difficulties in order “TO LOWER DOWN” their request to Jesus, which was the healing of the sick one. Jesus seeing their faith healed the paralytic, and when people saw the miracle” THEY WERE AMAZED, SAYING, WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY THING LIKE THIS.” (Verse 12)

You too will be amazed, when you see miracles happen in YOUR life when you go to Christ with EXPECTATION and seek Him EARNESTLY.

As the saying goes, “you haven’t seen anything yet.”

8/15/10 THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY

The Armenian word used for the Assumption is, “VERAPOKHOOM,” which means “Transport up.” Once again the Church reminds us the birth of Jesus through Mary.

This Feast is called “The Tabernacle Feast Of Assumption.”

After the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, much loved disciple, the Apostle John, per our Lord's request, became the guardian and the supporter of Mary. (John 19:26-27)

According to the tradition, Mary lived in Jerusalem the rest of her life and she died at the age of 50.

All the apostles were present at her burial, except Bartholomew, who was in Armenia preaching the Gospel of Christ. After a short while St. Bartholomew returned to Jerusalem. When he was informed of Mary’s death and burial, he insisted on going to the grave and sees her for the last time.

The apostles gathered in the cemetery, trying to satisfy Bartholomew’s request. However, according to the tradition, when they opened the grave Mary’s body was not there. The apostles assumed that Jesus had taken her into heaven to be with Him.

I should mention here that this tradition did not become a teaching of the Church until the 9th Century.

When you read the gospels, you can see that Mary’s life, as a mother of Savior was not easy. She knew what was gong to happen to her Son Jesus. Do you remember, when Joseph and Mary brought the Baby Jesus to the temple to be presented to God and the Temple, what Simeon said?

“THE CHILD IS DESTINED TO CAUSE THE FALLING AND RISING OF MANY IN ISRAEL, AND TO BE A SIGN THAT WILL BE SPOKEN AGAINST... SO THAT THE THOUGHTS OF MANY HEARTS WILL BE REVEALED. AND A SWORD WILL PIERCE YOUR OWN SOUL TOO.” (Luke 2:34-35)

Mary faithfully took care of the Baby Jesus, followed Him wherever He went, and painfully, as the Scripture says, “TREASURED UP ALL THESE THINGS AND PONDERED THEM IN HER HEART.” (Luke 2:19)

MARY LISTENED GOD’S COMMANDS AND FAITHFULLY FULFILLED THEM.

8/22/10 “TREASURES IN DARKNESS”

Often when we go through hardship, we think God has left us, yet He never abandons us. He watches over us just like a father would over his children.

God never wastes His time. He wants to make sure our life is lived in the fullest, effectively and productively, pleasing Him.

God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes we do not understand how He works. He says, “FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, NEITHER ARE YOUR WAYS MY WAYS. AS THE HEAVENS ARE HIGHER THAN THE EARTH, SO ARE MY WAYS HIGHER THAN YOUR WAYS AND MY THOUGHTS THAN YOUR THOUGHTS.” (Is. 55:8-9)

The apostles were terrified both by the storm and seeing Jesus walking across the water, but when Jesus identified himself by saying; “ TAKE COURAGE! IT IS I, DON’T BE AFRAID.” The Scripture says, THEY TOOK HIM INTO THE BOAT.

I don’t have to tell you that, every time a tragedy takes place, people go on their knees pleading to God. I have seen and heard so many people finding God and understanding God through tragedies. One of many examples was my friend Noury. A young man in his twenties when he was paralyzed neck down, for forty five years Noury did not stop praising God, for, he said if he was not stricken to bed he would not have found Jesus as his personnel Savior.

Through the storm the disciples found out who Jesus was. HE WAS THE I AM, the Creator.

So if you are going through unpleasant situations, Jesus is telling you, ‘ TAKE COURAGE! IT IS I, DON’T BE AFRAID.”

It is interesting to see Peter who wanted to make sure it was the Lord, says, “IF IT IS YOU, TELL ME TO COME TO YOU ON THE WATER.”

Jesus turned the stormy water like solid ground to walk on. But unfortunately, “WHEN (PETER) SAW THE WIND, HE WAS AFRAID, BEGAN TO SINK.”

The problem with us is the same. When we go through hard times, when we lose our health, instead of focusing our hearts and minds upon Jesus we shift away from Him and think and ponder over the problems we have. Thus we crush under the burden and begin to sink.

The apostle says, “LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH, WHO HE JOY SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS... SO THAT YOU WILL NOT GROW WEARY AND LOSE HEART.

(Heb. 12: 2-3)

8/29/10 HOW CAN WE OVERCOME?

In today’s story we read that Jesus rebuked his disciples because of lack of faith.

I admit faith can be the difficult to find when you need it most. It is in the darkness of temptation and in the lonely, sinful distance we need its light most. In Ephesians 2:8, Paul reminds us that faith “is the gift of God” and that it comes from God – it is not something we can muster up or dig down deep to find. It is the fruit of God in the life of His surrendered child. In Him, this is omniscience. For the Christian, it is reliance upon His omniscience.

Four Basic ‘Steps’ of Faith

1. Request – Reliance on God brings an ever-present asking, seeking, and knocking. When we realize that ‘without Him we can do nothing’ and ‘with Him nothing is impossible,’ we begin looking in the right direction: up! “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” Matthew 6:33

2. Rest – Trusting God allows us to relax. Too many Christians only the extremes of trusting God: either lazily, passively waiting on God to do everything –or– anxiously worrying about whether or not God will work things out.

When we take our problems to God we must completely trust Him that He is able and willing to take care of our problems the way He knows best. It is hard to do this, because we want to fix our problems and when we can’t, we blame God.

3. Receive – Since God is such a big giver and you are His child, you’d better get ready to receive! I don’t speak selfishly, as if we do all this to get what we want. I speak this because you need to know how to get with grace and gratitude. “Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh down from the Father…” James 1:17 God gave us His Son. He offered salvation to those who ask, He gave His Spirit, and much more. He gives families, health, and financial blessings. Part of faith is learning how to receive from God and continue our reliance: to remain faithful through periods of blessings. We must learn to trust and be grateful in the One Blessing, not in the blessings themselves.

4. Respond – We are not the end of the pipeline. You are not a dead-end street. God seeks to bless you that we will bless Him and others. “…Freely ye have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8b how we respond to God’s blessings are as important as how we sought after them in the first place. Allow God’s goodness to grow your faith: respond to God with an expanding trust. I also believe that a reasonable reaction to God’s sacrifice is one of self-sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2).

Truly, our response should simply be a cycle back to ‘Requesting’.

More asking, more seeking, more knocking and more trusting.

That’s how we grow in faith.

9/5/10 HOW TO CONFRONT ADVERSARIES?

Almost every day I have conversation with people, including clergy, who have problems with people.

The human being is a complex being. Let’s face it, sometimes there are people we must live with whom we just can’t stand. He/she may be one of your family members or relatives whom you only see on Thanksgivings or Christmas but that person manages to ruin your holiday year after year.

In every church we find some people who can not stand each other. They can’t work together, they can’t pray together, even they don’t greet each other.

Yet every Sunday, during “ THE KISS OF PEACE” they sing; “THE CHURCH HAS BECOME ONE PERSON. THE KISS HAS BEEN GIVEN AS A BOND OF FULNESS. ENMITY HAS DISAPPEARED AND LOVE HAS SPREAD AMONG US ALL.”

ARE WE LYING?

I am not saying that our feelings and affections should be the same with every person, naturally we feel closer to some people then to another. Even Jesus and the apostles had that experience.

As human beings, we want to love and be loved. As Christians, we are commanded to show our love to others. But, let’s be frank, loving someone who is a consent source of irritation is not an easy task. It can not be successfully accomplished over night, more over, can’t be accomplished without the help of God.

Let’s be honest and accept the fact that, if some one is annoying you, don’t forget you may be annoying the same person yourself. We have to understand the weak side of the person and treat him/her accordingly. For example, we speak loudly to a person who is blind forgetting that he is not deaf as well! Sometimes a person who has one or two emotional “hot-spots” will annoy us so much that we write him/her off as incapable of any healthy relational attitudes.

One thing I want to mention. Always remember that the other person is NOT the enemy! Satan is, who wants to destroy relationships and promote bad feelings.

The Apostle says, “... LEAVE NO ROOM OR FOOTHOLD FOR THE DEVIL-GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO HIM.” (Eph.4:27)

How then to confront the adversary? Leave room to God, give Him an opportunity, He will work it out for you.

9/12/10 A CLERGYMAN CAUGHT BY SURPRISE - DON’T YOU!

During the baptism ceremony I read a passage from the Gospel of John where Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus by night praising Him for His miraculous work and admitting that Jesus was sent by God.

During this important conversation Jesus, as always, gave the most powerful and essential message HOW TO BE SAVED

Last week I talked to you on I John 1:9 where John says, in order to “KNOW” we have eternal life we have to acknowledge that we are sinners and we have to confess our sins.

To further clarify the message, today the Church is telling us what confession really is.

First of all, confession means to acknowledge our sin and guilt in the light of the Bible, which means we must take God at His Word that we all have sinned.

When Jesus was talking to him about the Kingdom of God and how to enter into that Kingdom, Nicodemus was caught by surprise. He asked, ” How can a man be born again when he is old?” Nicodemus, the Jewish rabbi and a teacher of the Law did not know how to enter the Kingdom of heaven and how to be saved?

When we confess our sins to God, we must also confess and accept the fact that Jesus, God’s Son, was crucified for our sins, and accept Him as our personnel Savior in order to be born into the family of God. As the Scripture says

“TO ALL WHO RECEIVED HIM, (JESUS) TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.” (John 1:13)

CONFESSING, RECEIVING AND BELIEVING, THAT IS TRUSTING GOD FOR YOUR SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST IS THE WAY TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

9/19/10 DO YOU BELIEVE THAT CHRIST IS COMING BACK? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT?

So many of us blame and criticize the people who do not believe on the first coming of Christ.

Yet, those of us who pretend to believe that Jesus is coming back as He promised, what are we doing about?

Something about Christianity erases terror and gives us hope. The good news is that Jesus, having conquered death by dying on the cross and rising from the dead, offers us, who follow Him, eternal hope and life, where death, affliction and sorrow is unknown.

In the Old Testament alone, more than 300 times was prophesied about the first coming of Christ. Yet so many people were ridiculed and did not believe. But that did not change any thing. HE CAME and people who did not believe perished.

In the New testament alone we have more than 380 verses referring on the second coming of Christ, this also will not affect and change our lives unless we believe, expect, and wait for His coming.

The second coming of Christ is both necessary and tremendously important.

It tells me that God is still in charge of history.

Newspapers, radio and television tell us all the bad news that is going on in the Middle East and around the world; earthquakes, vicious killings both in schools and all over the world.

Very soon each one of us will have to walk with bulletproof vests.

This kind of Godless age was predicted by St. Paul.

“Mark this,” he writes to Timothy, “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power.” And he instructs the young Timothy;

“HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM!” (2nd Tim. 3:1-5)

This tells me to think that God is not the author of evil. By His coming God will put an end to the evil. God will not allow evil to continue indefinitely. When He knows the time is right, He will eradicate evil forever. This is why He is coming back. He will wipe out your tears

Are you filled with this hope? Are you excited about His second coming? Are you ready to welcome Him?

9/26/10 GOOD NEWS, JESUS IS COMING BACK

Years ago when Yeretzgin was a young girl, Easter Sunday while in the Church, during the “Peace Of Kiss, “ when she notices people whispering to each other’s ears, she turns to her aunt and asks; “What are they whispering?” Her aunt says, “The Easter bunny is coming, the Easter Bonnie is coming.” Of course being an innocent little girl got excited

I think in these gloomy days we need Good News. News that will lift our souls up, News that will give us hope and to look forward in living a life with a purpose in mind.

Something about Christianity erases terror and gives us hope. The Good News that Jesus, having conquered death by dying and rising again, offers His followers a hope of eternal life in a kingdom where death, uncertainty, tear, pain and fear is unknown.

What really difference does it make if Jesus comes back to earth or if He just welcomes us into heaven when we die? May be to some of us the Second Coming is not that important. Most of us never think or are not even concerned.

I am going to give you three brief reason as why it is important the Second Coming of Christ.

A. - IT TELLS US THAT GOD IS IN FULL CHARGE OF HISTORY.

The Newspapers and television gives us the impression that men are in control of making and changing History. By the Second Coming, God has the last word to say.

B. - BY THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST GOD WILL ONCE AGAIN PROOF THAT HE IS IN CHARGE OF BOTH NATURE AND NATIONS.

C. - THE THIRD REASON THAT WHY THE SECOND GOING IS IMPORTANT, TELLS US THAT GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF EVIL.

In addition to the above points, I’ll be talking to you on;

Is He really coming? How do we know it?

How is He coming? (We know how He came the first time)

And, most importantly, when is He coming?

10/3/10 WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN JESUS RETURNS?

Before Jesus was sent down from heaven, God inspired His prophets and foretold His people what to expect.

The way He was supposed to be born.

The purpose of His incarnation and the way Jesus was going to end His life. And, as we read in the New Testament, every prophecy was fulfilled in details.

After studying the signs of Jesus’ coming, it is important and will be interesting to know as what will occur, when Jesus comes back.

Just to summarize, the Second coming will be a family reunion. The big family of God, regardless of their race or denomination, those who believed and trusted in Him, will be taken up.

God has a personnel interest in you, whatever He had planned for you from the beginning, by the Second coming God will fulfill them.

The biblical picture of the Second Coming of Christ is also a personal reunion between long separated loved ones. You will see and recognize them in person. The place where Jesus has promised to take us, there will be no pain, tears or sorrow. The Scripture says, God will wipe away all tears from the eyes of the believers.

If there were no Second Coming, I would find Christianity much less compelling. Why should I live and serve a God who does not control the history, who is powerless to control evil, or who has no personal interest in His people?

Should I hope, trust and live for this life alone? NO!

Paul writing to the Corinthian Church says, “IF ONLY FOR THIS LIFE WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE TO BE PITIED MORE THAN ALL MEN.” (I Cor. 15:9)

Why the Second Coming of Christ is important? Because it is God’s announcement that the light of eternity is at the end of the tunnel. When we will see our Savior Jesus Christ and we will have the privilege and the honor to worship Him face to face. It will be a thrilling and exciting experience!

10/10/10 WHOSE SON IS JESUS?

During His ministry Jesus often asked questions to His listeners, His apostle, rabies and teachers. He did not ask the questions in order to trap them, as some did; He was honestly wanted to know their opinion. And He asked the questions in order to educate them and reveal His identity.

The question today is, “WHOSE SON JESUS IS?”

Unfortunately many of us are careless and indifferent to know who really Jesus is? One day Jesus was curious to know what the people, and His disciples thought about Him.

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?" He asked. His disciples replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Then He asked to His disciples, but what about you? "He asked. "Who do you say I am?" I am sure when Jesus directed the question to them, the disciples may have had a moment of silence. They did not expect such a question.

It is easy for us to express people’s opinion on something that is critical; we don’t want to take personal responsibility for important issues. That was the case of the people then. But Peter, known as an outspoken person, declared by God’s Spirit, JESUS WAS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD.

Isn’t that the same today? Just like then, today also, people don’t have the least idea who Jesus is neither do they know whose son He is? Yet every Sunday we confess by saying, “We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God.” I am sure some of us still think, like people in His time, that He was a good teacher or a philosopher, and He was the son of Joseph and Mary. Because if we go further than that we will be concerned there will be accountability. Because when we claim Him as the Son of God, Savior of the sinner, then the question comes up what are we suppose to do with Him? What is our responsibility toward Him? After all He was crucified or us.

Today’s passage teaches us that our discovery of Jesus Christ must be a personal discovery. Jesus’ question to each one of us is, “You- what do you personally think of me?

Our knowledge of Jesus must never be what people think of Him, but what we personally think of Him. Christianity never consists in knowing about Jesus; it always consists in knowing Jesus. Jesus Christ demands a personal verdict. He did not only ask Peter or His disciples, He is asking you and me today; “You-what do you think of me?”

Years ago Napoleon gave his verdict on Jesus. He said, “ I know men, and Jesus is more than a man.”

Has Jesus been your personal Savior and Lord?

10/17/10 JESUS WAS REJECTED.

We would think that Jesus, because He preached love and healed the sick He was accepted and was admired by everybody. NO! In today’s passage we read that His own town rejected Him and not only that “They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.” (Luke 4:29)

No sooner had Jesus left the wilderness, where Satan tempted him, He had to make a decision. Now He had to decide where He would start His ministry.

He began from Galilee. Galilee was the North of Palestine. Galilee was encircled by non-Jewish nations. It was extraordinarily densely populated. In 240 villages or towns there were some 3,000.000 people congregated in Galilee.

Galileans were known quick in temper and given to quarreling. And Jesus had to face these people…His own people where He had been brought up. And His own people rejected him.

They questioned Jesus’ authority; in some way they ridiculed Him by asking. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” In way they were saying to Him, “Who do you think you are?”

This was the land where Jesus began His ministry. It was His own land and His own people.

Jesus began His ministry from synagogue. The synagogue was the real center of religious life in Palestine. According to Jewish Law wherever there were ten Jewish families there must be a synagogue; and so in every town and village there was a synagogue that the people met to worship. Reminds me of Armenians in Armenia. Almost in every village there is a church on the hill.

Here they gave Him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, He found the place (He must of looking for that particular place) where it was written; “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach Good news to the poor.”

Jesus was quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah that was prophesied about Him some 700 years before His birth.

From the very beginning Jesus acknowledged the Scripture being the inspiring Word of God, and through the Scripture He clarified His mission. He was sent to preach the Word of God. But unfortunately, we will see, no matter how clear and vivid the message was they found reasons to reject both Him and the Word of God. It is sad to see that the situations hasn’t been changed much. People still reject Jesus and His massage.

DON’T YOU BE ONE OF THEM.

10/24/10 FEAST OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE HOLY CROSS

This Sunday, October 24, the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of the Discovery of the Holy Cross (Giut Khatchi). Empress Helena, mother of Constantine and a devout Christian, wanted to find the True Cross. She went to Golgotha (Calvary), which had become an obscure and neglected place. According to some chronicles, it was an informed Jew named Judah who pointed out the location. After excavation of the site, three wooden crosses were found. In order to identify the True Cross, the three crosses were successively placed on the body of a youth who had just died. When one of the crosses was placed on him, the young man came back to life. This was determined to be the True Cross. The commemoration of this event takes place on the Sunday closest to October 26, and can vary from October 23 to 29.

Christ’s exact burial site was also located, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was built on that spot in 335. The church was destroyed by fire in 614 when the Persians invaded Jerusalem, and subsequently rebuilt. The current dome dates back to 1870. Three denominations (Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox) administer and maintain the church and surrounding grounds, unfortunately not always harmoniously. Agreements strictly regulate times and places of worship for each denomination. Ironically, for centuries a Muslim family has been the custodian of the keys to the church, which is within the walled Old City of Jerusalem.

10/31/10 Jesus’ hug

A business executive became depressed. Things were not going well at work, and he was bringing his problems home with him every night. Every evening he would eat his dinner in silence, shutting out his wife and five-year-old daughter. Then he would go into the den and read the paper using the newspaper to wall his family out of his life.

After several nights of this, one evening his daughter took her little hand and pushed the newspaper down. She then jumped into her father's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him strongly. The father said abruptly, "Honey, you are hugging me to death!" "No, Daddy," the little girl said, "I'm hugging you to life!"

This was the greatness of Jesus. He took people where they were and hugged them to life.

ARE YOU IN A “REMOTE” AREA?

Today’s Scripture reading is, THE FEEDING OF THE 4000. This miracle is recorded in all four gospels. Jesus performed two similar miracles; one be feeding the 5000 and the other 4000.

Jesus, beside nurturing His followers spiritually, He was also concerned to take care of their physical needs. God is concerned in EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE. Paul writes: “MY GOD WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS.”

(Phil. 4:19)

Faith makes you seek God, as these people were doing. It is not enough just believe that the God of the Bible exists, it is not enough just to know about God’s promises, in order to please God WE MUST BELIEVE AND TRUST THAT GOD IS THE PROVIDER AND THE REWARDER OF THOSE WHO SEEK HIM IN SPITE OF THEIR HOPELESS AND “REMOTE” SITUATIONS.

DON’T DEPEND ON YOUR ABILITY ALONE, TRUST IN THE LORD!

Although we can not understand and explain as how the miracles were performed, but we know that Jesus performed the miracles not only in order to demonstrate His power but His concern for the seek, the afflicted and the needy.

Jesus who performed miracles in the past, is the same today. (Heb.13:8) If He had compassion for the people of His time, He has the same compassion toward you today. Jesus is able, ready and willing to perform miracles in your life, if you allow him to take in charge of your life.

OUR GOD IS A PERSONAL GOD

Compassion is more than having a mere love toward a person. Compassion says; “MY HEART GOES OUT FOR YOU, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT YOU AND I WILL DO MY OUT MOST TO MEET YOUR NEEDS.” That is what Jesus did!

This is the kind of heavenly Father we have, who is not sitting far in heaven and just observing what is going on down in your life. He is personally interested in you and the things that are taking place in your life. He wants to provide your daily needs.

11/7/10 SHOW YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR DEEDS

In today’s passage the Church is teaching us the importance of having GOD PLEASING FAITH.

Frankly speaking, some times we don’t know what faith itself is, or we are not aware of whether we have GOD PLEASING faith or mental faith, that is we think we have faith.

Faith is the connecting tie to God. Only through faith we can have fellowship with God and understand the will of God for our lives.

Through faith we accept the gifts of God through Jesus Christ. Through faith we receive grace and forgiveness. By GOD PLEASING FAITH we can approach God and present our requests to Him. By faith the whole nature of man can be changed to the better.

It is loosely used “We believe in God,” but do we really know what believing in God means.

In the same Epistle the Apostle gives the definition of faith that is, the meaning of it. He says:

“FAITH IS THE ASSURANCES THE CONFIRMATION, THE TITLE-DEED OF THE THINGS WE HOPE FOR, BEING THE PROOF OF THINGS WE DO NOT SEE AND THE CONVICTION OF THEIR REALTY- FAITH PERCEIVING AS REAL FACT WHAT IS NOT REVEALED TO THE SENSES.” (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified translation)

The Oxford American Dictionary says faith is “1. Reliance or trust in a person or thing,

2. Belief in religious doctrine. 3. A system of religious belief, the Christian faith. 4. Loyalty, sincerity.”

The entire chapter of the Book of Hebrews talks about the supremacy and superiority of faith. Gives us the names of the persons and floods us with examples of people who lived by faith and showed it by their deeds.

The Christian who says he/she has GOD PLEASING faith must show by his/her deeds. The Apostle James makes it very clear when he writes: “FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION IS DEAD.” (James 2:17) What the Apostle is saying is, that God pleasing faith must produce God pleasing life and work.

How do we know if we have God pleasing faith? And how can we obtain it? We will see.

11/14/10 WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIFE?

Jesus, the great Preacher, preached to thousands of people, telling them, as well as US today, that life on earth is more than striving for possession and position, but preparation for the life to come.

He tells us not to worry about our life, “FOR WHAT WE SHALL EAT OR WHAT WE SHALL WEAR, FOR LIFE IS MORE THAN FOOD AND CLOTHING.”

Jesus is not suggesting to not plan for your daily living, rather He is reminding us that, LIFE IS MORE THAN STRIVING FOR FOOD, CLOTHING AND ACCUMULATING. “FOR YOUR FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM,” He said. And He gives examples from the birds and lilies of the fields. They teach us a lesson concerning God’s provision for His creatures that He loves.

In the Gospel of Matthews, in the Sermon on the Mount, food and clothing are mentioned as necessary part of human life in the world, but He states, “your Father knows that you need them.” (12:30) Your main concern, however, should not be the laying up of treasures on earth, “BUT TO BE RICH TOWARD GOD.” (Verse 21b) The Rich man did not take into account eternal life, where his possessions would be of no value. That was the mistake of the wealthy farmer in the story. Making provisions for treasures in the heaven is what to be “rich toward God” means, and it must be the characteristic concern of each Christian, who claim to have God as his/her heavenly Father.

We often forget, that if God has created us He will not abandon us but will supply our daily needs.

God says,

“CAN A MOTHER FORGET THE BABY AT HER BREAST AND HAVE NO COMPASSION ON THE CHILD SHE HAS BORN?

THOUGH SHE MAY FORGET, I WILL NOT FORGET YOU!” (Is. 49:15)

This is a God given promise, yet we fail to put our trust in Him, we plan, toil day and night for material things and neglect the spiritual.

At the end of the sermon Jesus tells us as what the important thing should be in our life,

“NOT TO WORRY, SAYING WHAT SHALL WE EAT? OR WHAT SHALL WE DRINK? OR WHAT SHALL WE WEAR? FOR THE PAGANS RUN AFTER ALL THESE THINGS, AND YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS THAT YOU NEED THEM. BUT SEEK FIRST GOD’S KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THE OTHER MATERIAL NEEDS WILL BE GIVEN TO US, AS WELL.”

11/21/10 THE THANKFUL HEART

"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He, who made us, & we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving & His courts with praise; give thanks to Him & praise His name. For the Lord is good & His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." (Psalm 66:12)

I am sure you will agree with me that this is one of the most beautiful songs of Thanksgiving.

How many of us who receive blessings from God give Him thanks? If you consider the ten lepers (please, read Luke 17:11-19) healed be Jesus Christ, we could say, only ten percent. I hope that we belong to that ten percent of those who thank God for all the mercies and blessings He has showered upon us throughout our lives. “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom. 11:36)

Thanksgiving to God flows out in abundance only from the heart of a Christian who is intimate with God through Jesus Christ. No unbeliever will thank God; rather, it is his/her nature to credit everything to himself or herself. The Apostle Paul speaks about such people in Romans 1:21 “For though they know God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him.”

Consider the story of Israel. God delivered them from Egyptian bondage, yet we are told that they were filled with a grumbling spirit. Ten times they murmured against their Redeemer, and we are warned not to repeat their ungrateful practices. Thanksgiving to God proves that you and I belong to God and acknowledge His goodness. Knowing that

What, then, is this Thanksgiving, which we are to render continually? It is grateful acknowledgment of benefits received. We are to acknowledge and thank God, primarily, but we should also thank others, because God also uses secondary agents to bring blessings to us.

A true Christian will always thank God. Thanksgiving for the Christian is like breathing. How could we survive if we only breathed just once in a year? So we must thank God when things are going well, as well as when we go through hardship and face troubles, ”FOR WE KNOW THAT IN ALL THINGS GOD WORKS FOR GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (Rom. 8:28)

Let us pray that the God of all goodness teach us to be always grateful and thankful in every circumstance. AMEN!

WISHING YOU AND TO YOUR LOVED ONES A VERY HAPPY

AND A BLESSED THANKSGIVING

12/12/2010 NO ROOM

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his or her own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:1-7)

How often we have criticized the innkeeper without knowing the reason why he had no room for Joseph, Mary and the unborn Jesus. I have had times when I couldn’t make hotel reservation because there were no rooms available.

In today’s society we also have no room for Jesus. We don’t want Him to get involve in our daily activities.

There was no room for Jesus in the economic world. (Then and now) Luke records an incident. One-day Jesus and the disciples stepped off a boat at Gadara. A mad man, screaming wildly and tearing at himself, suddenly approached them. Jesus walked up to the man and asked his name. "I am legion, for we are many," came the response. He was right. This poor, tormented man was so confused, pulled in so many different directions, that he was no longer one personality but many. Jesus then commanded the demons to come out of this man and into a nearby herd of swine. The pigs immediately stampeded and ran off a cliff and were killed. The man was healed.

But what was the response of the community. Did they cry out Praise be to Jesus? Were they grateful for the miracle? No, none of these things. What they did was to send a committee to Jesus and asked him to get out of town. “Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them;” You see, they weren't so concerned about that poor demoniac man. But what really got to them was the fact that Jesus destroyed a herd of swine to heal him. That was hitting them right where it hurt--in the pocket book. It was quite clear to them that if Jesus stayed around the local economy would be disrupted. What they wanted was business as usual and not some miracle performer.

So the local delegation asks Jesus to leave. Exactly how they worded this to him we don't know. May be they said, “Jesus, we don't think that we need you, you are hurting our business.” So Jesus, do us a favor and go try to save the world in some other place. You see, there was just no room for Jesus in the economic world.

Don’t you think today the situation is the same? We don’t want Jesus get involve in our daily life. We don’t want Him to interfere in our personal decisions. In one word, we want to be left alone. Remember? He can’t force Himself in our lives; we have to invite Him in.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Is 9:6)

12/19/2010 CHRISTMAS STORY IS GOOD NEWS FOR TOUGH TIMES

FOR THOSE WHO WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT

A distinguished Pastor of the Presbyterian faith who shares ministry primarily with his pen and pencil writes, "We are, God knows, a people who walk in darkness . . . If darkness is meant to convey a sense of uncertainty, of being lost, of being afraid . . . If darkness suggests conflict between races, nations or individuals . . . If darkness depicts a world where we can't see very well (because of sin), then we know enough about the darkness." However, God in Christ does not run away from the darkness. God sets up residence right smack in the middle of the darkness. If you have light, then you are not scared or worried about the darkness.

Someone has said, "If Jesus is truly God, everything becomes clear to me. If I cannot believe this, everything becomes dark again." In Jesus Christ, light has come to a darkened world. Jesus said later in his adult ministry, "I am the light of the world." He commissioned his disciples to share the light of the world.

Christmas is a joyous day for children. For parents, peace on earth comes several days later when all the batteries wear out! Well, the message of the first Christmas is that "Peace on earth comes to everyone when Christ enters into our hearts and lives into the muck and mire of it all he came to us HE DID NOT RUN AWAY!

John says, “There was the true light, even the light which lighteth every man, coming into the world. He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto his own, and they that were His own received Him not. But as many as received him, to them gave He the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:5-13)

His message never wears out but is offered to all who seek peace with God. His light shines in the darkness all who follow it go home praising God for the gift of life they have received. This is the encouraging word that comes to those of us who, like the Seven-Up man, feel overwhelmed by our circumstances. Truly the Christmas story is for today what it was in Bethlehem two thousand years ago Good News for Tough Times.

12/26/2010 WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE

I hope you read the passage of the Scripture (on the next page) before you began reading the message.

In today’s Scripture by telling the Parable of the Mina (money) Jesus is telling the reader of the generosity of God and the responsibility of the Christian.

When Jesus says “The Man of noble birth” He is referring for Himself.

In this Parable Jesus wants us to know that everything we have and are comes from God, our heavenly Father. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” (James 1:17) That is to say everything we have are the blessings from God, Therefore God owns everything we have, even ourselves, we belong to God, our Creator. In Psalm 50:10 God says, “For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.”

Because we work hard for everything we own we think they all belong to us. In today’s Parable Jesus said, God gave them the possession and told them “Put this money to work until I come.” (Referring to His Second Coming)

It is interesting to see that God trusts us with what He gives us and tells us to use it until His return. God has given u the freedom and the liberty to use everything as we wish. He does not interfere with how we spend our lives, possessions and positions. He leaves us entirely to our own discretion and decision.

We can use them wisely or we can waste them foolishly.

In this Parable we see a promised reward. When God gives us ability, health and wisdom to work and earn, He expects us to use these according to His instructions and expectations and not our own. Someday He will call us and make us accountable for the things He has given us.

There is no such thing as standing still in the Christian life; neither can we afford to live a careless life. Either we invest for God what He has given us or slip back.

When we look back over the year 2010 how much time, money and work did we invested for the KING JESUS? Some day He will return and say “Well done, my good servant!” Or He will say, “Depart from me, I tell you the truth I don’t know you.”

Beloved, as we take year-end financial inventory, we better also take the inventory of our spiritual life.

What portion of your time, money and talent have you used for the KING in 2010? And how are you planning to use them during the 2011?